1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a multimedia system. More specifically, the present invention discloses an interactive multimedia content integration platform that converts among a wide variety of input and output formats and protocols.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Traditionally, media devices have been designed around one or two formats. Consumers could purchase a television set and an AM/FM radio. These devices allowed consumers to watch broadcast television or to listen to broadcast radio.
Refer to FIG. 1, which is an illustration of a conventional media delivery system. A television station creates media content and utilizes a transmitter 10 to transmit a signal 15 to a user's television 20 on which a user can view the media content.
However, these systems only provide the ability to send information from the producer to the consumer; there is no way for a media consumer to interact with the content or to send information to the media producer. Only a few limited formats and protocols are supported, and only media content which originates in the format used by a given device can be played on that device; televisions can not tune in FM radio stations, nor can an AM/FM radio tune in the audio of a television broadcast. The media consumer is limited to watching or listening when the media producer is broadcasting a given item of media content; if the media consumer is busy, the media consumer would be unable to access the media content. Additionally, new content formats and protocols can not be added to these legacy devices, stifling innovation. Moreover, media producers either have to create content in all available formats, or have to limit the formats they used, thereby also limiting their market.
Therefore there is need for a multimedia system that can interconvert formats and protocols, freeing media producers from having to create content in many different formats, allowing the opportunity to develop new formats and protocols, letting media consumers access content on a variety of different devices, and facilitating communication between media producers and consumers.